The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-01-07
THE SALVATION WORK.
PRACTICAL VIEW OF THE PLAN
ADOPTED BY THE ARMY"

Origin. Nature and Development of One
of the Most Remarkable Reform Efforts
of the Present Csntury-It> Financial
system.
No religious organization of the present
day has evoked such derision and rldic,Ile.
ali.e from saint and sinner, as the Salvation
Army. 1t is a thing Of Iowly origin. carried
on by rude, illiterate persons. Culture and
refinement are largely lacking in its ranks.
Its methods are such TO antagonize refine
ment. Ii has generally failed to win the
friendship Of the churches They have re-
garded II as but tue ephemeral extravaganza
of fanatics. The pulpits have condemned it,
The police courts have more than once decid-
Ell that IL was nuisance.
Yet, since its introduction into America
six years ago tue movement has grown with
most surprising rapidity. The cause of its
growth il apparent TO any reflective person.
1t is emphaticaliy a creation of the populace.
Ii has the power of expansion. The growth
of the Salvation Army is but one phase of
the advance of humanity upon new ground.
The soldiers come neither from the undisci-
plincd semi-church adherents nor from or
DERBY non-Christians. Instead they en-
listed directly from the great mass Of the
ignorant and vicious who had no anchorage
to anything good. This fact is what consti-
tutes the work OF the salvation Army ref
ormation and development.
THE WORK IN ENGLAND.
In England, where the work has been
longer established, and where il is prosecuted
under the immediate direction of Gen. Doth,
beneficial results have undoubtedly accrued.
The international headquarters are in Lon
don, where 80 persons are employed in the
work. including clerks There are ,:5,a23
corps scattered Europe, America,
Africa. Asia and Oceanica. All of these
organizations wear the same embems, sing
the same songs and act under the same in
spiration laid down by Gen Booth.
The vast influence which that man wields
is something that puzzles me-" remarked a
clerical gentleman, while the general was i'm
Chicago. The people have implicit conf
dence in his sincerity and disinterestedness.
His power AZ an organizer is apparent To the
most casual. He is a man not only to see
each opportunity, hut to grasp it squarely
and firmly at the right instant"
His people never dispute him. was the
reply Of a Salvation Army officer who over
heard the remarks. I'VE are positive of his
fidelity to the cause. We know that he and
all his family work increasingly for the good
of humanity. He never has one cent of the
contributions made by the army. Some
years ago five wealthy men of London urged
among the lowest portions of the city, and
guaranteed him living. From that work
grew up the Salvation Army. But the
general is not one penny the richer for it,
contrary to the many reports of his vast
wealth
The officers of the army are supported
entirely by the collections taken up at the
meetings. Each corps is expected to be self
supporting. There is a treasurer for every
corps A balance sheet is prepared and read
every three months. IL there is a surplus
after paving the salaries it is sent, i'm this
country, To the war chest" in New York
Ii any corps can't pay its expenses it is
helped from this fund. There is no connec-
ton between the English and American
financial department of the army. In Lon
don the books are audited every day by
public auditors and il is impossible for one
cent to come into tie hands Of Gen Booth
or any one else without an account being
given of II.
The church properties all over the world
are decided in trust to the general for the
sole of the Salvation Army.
SALARIES OF THE OFFICERS
Commissioner Frank Smith, divisional Of
fcer of America, gave up a business and all
he had to come into this work. He receives
a salary of 81 a week and his travelling ex-
penses. The salary of married major is 50
a week and his house rent A married CAD
tain gets SO, but no house rent. If he has
no wife he gets g.. A woman captain re
ceives So and a lieutenant IS, il the corps can
pay it. II not, less. One must literally take
a vow of poverty, self denial and hard work
before becoming officer. We are expected
to refuse all presents, and must be in readi-
ness to 60 anywhere at any time. We must
agree to the strictest discipline and permit
ss,tr
is accepted until thoroughly tried and found
fitted for the work. In the London training
school young men and women are required to
do mental work to prove their spirit of self
abnegation. Gen. Booths children were
obliged TO submit to this discipline. Inferior
officers pledge themselves to labor solely for
the army, to the exclusion of every personal
interest and desire, subject to orders from
superiors, when even personal attachments
are formed.
THE drum and banjo are but expedients
which We are willing to lay aside whenever
other means of arousing public notice can be
relied upon. We appeal to those who can be
reached at first in no other manner Curios-
ity causes many to follow us and join the
army. Much good is done among the disso-
lute and hopeless of both sexes who are fallen
to the lowest depths. In Europe there are
refugees and regularly appointed persons who
induce the despairing women to reform. Our
statistics show that large number of those
who find relief actually lead better lives
thereafter Such a refuge has been opened
in New York. We seek only To save the lost
to improve the vicious, to reform tue reck-
less. We take those whom nobody else wants,
and our success in the missionary field dem
onstrates the wisdom of our methods, despite
the fact that some people term us 'nui-
sanres. Janet Dale in Chicago News.
Glass House Throws a stone.